Monday 25 April 2022

Monday, April 25, 2022

 Time marches on. The temperature yesterday was 24 degrees celsius. Glorious. However, as I was doing some yard work, I realized my body is not used to this. I changed into lighter clothing and still had to take multiple sit down breaks. Not to worry, it's going to snow on Wednesday, so I won't have to concern myself with over heating. 

Husband continues to plug away at the "insulation / reduce the bleeding of money to heat this old house" project. Here is a new picture to show the next stage:


Framing and insulation has occurred. (Ceiling and floor will also be happening, this is a multi-multi-multi-step endevour).

Regarding the foxes, I have not seen mom or babies for a few days now. I read that mother foxes sometimes move their young two or three times, so perhaps that is what has happened. 

I went for my first bone density scan the other day. My previous, now retired doctor never ordered one for me, regardless of my lower back issues and diagnosis of osteoarthritis in my lower back. When the nurse practitioner took over patients for a six month period, she ordered a whole bunch of routine tests, including this bone scan (for which I waited four months, I think). I got my results this morning. Yes indeed I have osteoarthritis in my lower back and also in the "neck" of my femur (looked it up, it's at the top, where it connects to the hip). Well, that would explain all of my pain and problems. So now I increase my calcium and vitamin D intake, even though I've always been a regular consumer of calcium and have taken vitamin D pretty consistently over the last several years. Also, this is hereditary and I recall my mother taking calcium in her later years. Menopausal women also basically leach calcium as estrogen subsides. Yay, us!!

Our daughter finally, finally, finally gets to walk across a stage at university and celebrate her well earned graduation with a degree in Communications. She's already been employed full time in her field for over a year now, but of course with the whole pandemic thing, she, along with many others, never got to graduate in person with her course mates. She only gets to have two extra guests. Her long time boyfriend is writing an exam for a course he has been taking this same day, so husband and I get to go and watch this event. 

Son is now done his college course and we will be helping him move home this coming weekend. He has a big pickup truck and we have an SUV, so hopefully we will manage this all in one trip, as it is about three hours away. It will be odd having a "child" at home again, but I'm happy that he will be able to save some money and try to do some earning before striking out on his own. He's twenty-two years old. When I was that age, I was still in university. Of course, I had grade 13, which doesn't exist now. As well, I and most of my peers thought getting a university degree was the necessary next step after high school. I did a four year combined honours BA, followed by a year of teacher's college to get my B. Ed. But that was thirty years ago. Our son saw how many people were going to university only to not get jobs, or to then turn around and go to college AFTER university to get some sort of employable skill. He had no desire to become a doctor, lawyer, teacher, etc. which all require degrees, but instead wanted to get out there and make money. We have a huge nuclear power plant relatively close by and he found out what he needed to do to get a future job there and did it. He still has some steps to take in order to fulfill his final career choice, but he's on his way. And if he is successful, he may earn more than husband or I ever could have imagined as teachers. I wish him all the success and he's never been one to be afraid of hard work, so I have a lot of confidence that he will be fine in this world.

On a final note, our strange little cat Murphy has decided that he enjoys hanging out with the chickens from time to time. They don't even seem to care! 



Oh, also, has anyone noticed that things look different when you try to leave a comment on someone's blog? Ughhh, Blogger, just leave things alone. Anyway, have a lovely day. Let me know how your bone density is and if you are also having sun / snow /sun / snow. 

31 comments:

  1. Replies
    1. Yes he just likes being around them. Now, if they were mice it would be a different story.

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  2. I find this yo-yo weather hard..you get used to something and it changes..again!!
    Just like the comments...at least it does work!

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  3. Never had a bone density test so can't comment on that. I do think my bones must still be strong since every winter (no matter how careful I try to be) I end up taking at least one monumental slip and fall on the ice/snow resulting in no injury. (I'm knocking on wood here hoping I didn't just jinx myself.) We had high temps last week (if one call call in the mid 40s Fahrenheit high) with a lot of melting. Now this week we're back to the 20s at night (hard frosts) and only in the 30s during the day. Oh Spring, where are yooooouuu?!

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    1. Oh gosh! I hope you continue to not injure yourself!

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  4. Your son sounds very sensible. You don't have to worry about him getting on in this world. Good luck with the most ve

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  5. Yes, I noticed this morning that commenting is different. Blogger just has to change things up...for no apparent reason.
    I chuckled at the thought of the cat hanging with the chickens. Too funny.
    Hopefully the forecast isn't correct and you don't see snow. We were supposed to get about a centimeter or so earlier this week and got nothing. I was quite pleased with that.
    Good luck to your son, and congratulations to your daughter Big achievements for both of them.

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    1. Thank you. I do hope the snow holds off. I have a walking “ date” with a friend that day! I really really don’t want to wear boots!

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  6. Yes, your son does indeed sound very sensible. We have some young people doing this here too and many accountants now prefer to take students straight from high school at 18 rather university graduates. My nephew did an engineering degree which included working for one year in industry. He was later offered a job at his placement company when his degree was completed. Well done to your family. Murphy looks like a cat with plenty of adventurous spirit. Good thing your nurse practitioner is on the ball.

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    1. Son’s college programme is called Power Engineering but not the same as a degree programme at a university. Due to the pandemic, he missed out on a term of co-op placement which could very well have led to employment. Sometimes the placements are paid co-ops as well, so he missed that opportunity as well. Unfortunately the college did not make up for those lost co-op terms, so that’s what he has to figure out on his own now. But again, he will likely manage that. I really liked how thorough the nurse practitioner was but unfortunately she was only available for a chunk of time when our dr. retired.

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  7. I've never had a bone density check but I do know that I'm two inches shorter than I used to be.

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    1. My scan was to get a baseline and then I guess it gets repeated every two years. Yes, we do shrink as we age, don’t we!

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  8. Husband is a treasure, for sure. Is he also retired? Love the cat among the chickens photo!

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  9. I have noticed the difference when leaving comments and wish blogger would just leave well enough alone!

    My mom fell today and broke her wrist (both bones in the wrist). Since she's well into menopause and also has a family history of arthritis, I hope it can heal properly and won't give her trouble in the future, but I'm afraid she may be in for lifetime problems. And it's her dominant hand, too.

    Congratulations to your graduates!

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    1. Oh dear! Too bad about your mom’s wrist! So far I’ve only broken some toes!

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  10. I did not think cats and birds were compatible. Sweet Murphy is the exception. He definitely looks quite happy with the chickens. I was told to take the following for bone health: 2 tabs AlgaeCalPlus in the morning, Vitamin D3 with K (3 times a week) and every evening a minimum of 500 mg of Strontium Citrate. Prior to taking this my bond density was less than ideal; since taking these supplements my density has increased and is in the normal range. Make sure your doc checks your D blood level (to much D is damaging). Congratulations to your son and daughter. You must be very proud.

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    1. I was told to take vitamin D and just to increase my calcium intake through food ( Four servings a day), but I did ask about calcium supplements and got the details for that, too. Thanks for the advice!
      Yes, we are proud of both our kids. They are both good people!

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  11. This certainly is spring weather. So hot this morning I had to strip down to a summer tee. Now the temps are falling, falling, falling as a winter cold front comes in. It's even snowing some places north of us.

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  12. Murphy certainly looks very cute with his chickens. I tried to befriend some chickens in Lefkada, but they weren't having any of it. F says on the farm her cats could often be found studying the chickens, or the pigs. We just like watching things that move.... xxx Mr T

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    1. True. Even as a kitten, Murphy liked to watch them (from the outside of the fence).

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  13. Blogger making more changes for the sake of change (IMO) grrrr! Murphy hanging with the chickens could be the beginnings of a series of children stories & your very talented sister could sketch the scenes ... (col). The upstairs insulation project seems to be coming along as planned. I had a bone scan, our NP suggested drinking beef broth to build back calcium, but as a vegetarian that wasn't going to happen, so I found fish broth. I'm going to ask about calcium instead. ... Mary-Lou =^[..]^=

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  14. I don't see me getting involved with drinking bone broth either. I'm going to ask my pharmacist friend what the best calcium supplement is, in her opinion.

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  15. I love Murphy. Just sayin'... Three cheers on the building progress and congratulations on the graduation and having your son at home, which sounds good for now. And welcome to the osteo club. My lower left back for sure and while they haven't tested it, I'd bet the same for that hip. And the hands that aren't what they used to be! I had a bone density probably ten or more years ago, long before all these body parts started hurting. The osteo-manipulation helps a bit. I suspect it puts back in order all the things that get shifted because of compensating for what hurts. Hate this. I hope you can find a solution that makes it easier to live with -- and when you do, please share!

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    1. I think finding out about my arthritis bothered me because in my head, I'm not "old". I'm somewhere in my early thirties in my head (but with adult children, not sure how that happens), but then when your body tells you that you are most definitely 55 (or older) it's a bit of a slap. Like a betrayal in a way.

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  16. I am so overdue for all my routine tests....Covid threw everything into a blender - I need to make all my appointments but I can't get my head around it until after my daughter's wedding in June. Too many other things to think about. I will have to commit to get them all rolling again after that point, I do NOT look forward to it!

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  17. Yes, a difference now when you go to comment on a post...a great big white box opens. All the changes Blogger makes seem so silly and just take more time to do. Congratulations to your son and daughter. Glad you and your husband can be there for your daughter's graduation. I'm due another bone density scan. I have osteoporosis, just like my Mother. I have lost three inches in height. Wish I had known years ago and had taken some kind of medication.

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  18. Such a cute photo with Murphy and the chickens! I hope they all get along. Wishing both your kids much success! My younger daughter returned to university to pursue a second degree. I think learning throughout life is always a bonus!

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